New town code targets illegal signs

Confiscation of illegal temporary signs will be allowed in Bluffton by new guidelines starting Thursday.

Targets will include all those small signs on wire stands advertising businesses and deals, town staff told planning commissioners when the new code was up for review.

Ditto another brand of outlaws — “signs painted on, or attached to, trees, rocks or other natural features, (or) telephone or utility poles,” according to the code.

Thursday is the effective date of the town’s new Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), which includes a revision of town design standards and adds enforcement teeth for illegal signs.

“The UDO includes the ability to remove illegal signs of all types including temporary signs,” said Shawn Leininger, town principal planner.

The code’s design standards section outlines prohibitions against “off-premise signs.” Exceptions including permitted special-event signs. Political signs are allowed without permits but there are placement rules, including not going on public property and rights of way.

Marc Orlando, growth management director and deputy town manager, said the revision “formally added temporary sign provisions. There is a strong demand for this sign type. Our new standards have incorporated the market’s need within certain design and timing parameters.

“We also established a formal code enforcement process for those properties that have illegal signs erected. The town will follow typical code enforcement protocol and enforce violations accordingly.”

The code gives the UDO administrator power “to physically remove and impound any prohibited or illegal sign or sign structure … without notice to the owner,” it states.

Recovery — especially of a lot of signs — will not be cheap.

According to the code, the owner of an impounded sign or sign structure may recover each one for $50 plus removal costs. Also, “The UDO administrator shall have authority to dispose of any impounded sign or sign structure without compensation to the owner if such sign or sign structure is not claimed within 10 days from the date of impoundment.”

Orlando was uncertain when signage will be confiscated. “Once the community is assessed for illegal signs, demand will help determine (that),” he said.

Other changes involve new permanent signs, Orlando said.

“The signage standards have been revised and improved to include a broader range of materials that could be used for the sign face and structure and where appropriate will require a master signage plan for all planned unit developments, commercial developments/shopping centers, or office complexes to promote unity in the sign design,” he said.

“While we often ask for this during our master plan and development plan reviews, this is not required in the current (ordinance).”

Comments are welcome, so long as they are civil. A Facebook account is required. Abuse may result in the commenter being permanently blocked. Personal attacks are strictly prohibited. We reserve the right to remove any comments at any time.